Strike whilst the iron is hot.

In the age of the horse this saying would have required no explanation as most people would have watched the blacksmith at work. Taking action at the right time is important to the success of any enterprise. As Shakespeare put it: "There is a tide in the affairs of man which, taken at the full, leads on to success". In the stock market the experts stress the great importance of timing. People with good judgement and experience usually have an edge over others as they know the right time to start and finish, to buy or sell, to plant or harvest. They know when the situation will yield to appropriate action.